“From what I can sense, the very best women in our armed forces are as remarkable as the very best men and they should be given that chance if they meet the criteria,” the Labour MP said on aRadio 4 documentary about women in the military.

“And the criteria isn’t based on gender, it’s based upon capability, skill, professionalism, discipline and the ability to innovate on the front line.”

The British armed forces maintains the ban despite countries around the world, including Australia, Canada, France and Germany, now allowing women to serve in frontline combat roles. The UK’s position is becoming an increasingly lonely one. Of the 28 members of NATO, just two others, Turkey and Slovakia, still bar women from these positions.

In January 2013, Leon Panetta, the then US secretary of defence, made the groundbreaking decision to allow women to serve on the front line.

A Ministry of Defence review in 2010 returned "inconclusive" results about the desirability of allowing women onto the front line and is not compelled to return to the issue until 2018.

Mr Murphy, who was moved from his post yesterday to the international development brief, hinted that if Labour won the next general election, a review could be earlier.

“If I had the privilege of being the Defence Secretary after the next election one of the important decisions I would take would be a fundamental review of any and all of the evidence, but in particular learning from our allies.

“And on the basis that it's good enough for the US, Canada, France and others, it would appear to be good enough for the United Kingdom. So I think it's important that we look at that, and only if there's a convincing argument against it should we prevent it in future.”